Wringer



N. L. ETTEN Feb. 12, 1952 WRINGER 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 11, 1945 w mnw Feb. 12, 1952 N. L. ETTEN 2,585,757

WRINGER Filed Aug. 11, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

BY Mam Feb. 1 1952 RINGE e Sheets- 5 Filed 1945 Feb. 12, 1952 N. L. ETTEN 2,585,757 WRINGER Filed Aug. 11, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. Mc/zolczS l. Hi e/z BY WW o/gpen-l'.

Feb. 12, 1952 N. L. ETTEN 57 WRINGER Filed Aug. 11 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 I INVENTOR.

L. B it's/2 igeh-lt Feb. 12, 1952 N. L. ETTEN WRINGER 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Aug. 11, 1945 V mmvrozz. JVZc/zolas L. Zi izf e/z c /fgeni'.

weight mechanism comprising the means for turning the handle the angular amount Patented Feb. 12, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WRINGER Nicholas L. Etten, Waterloo, Iowa, assignor to Chamberlain Corporation, Waterloo, Iowa, a

corporation of Iowa Application August 11, 1945, Serial No. 610,235

4 Claims. (Cl. 68-253) 1 This invention relates to a wringer adapted for use in connection with a domestic washing machine and having operative mechanism for separating the rolls in the event of accidental insertion of the hand or other objects between the bite of the rolls.

This wringer embodies the use of a lower roll which rotates upon a fixed axis and incorporates suitable link-connected mechanisms for releasing the upper roll bodily and for moving its roll shaft away from the lower roll and in parallel relation thereto.

One of the main objects of the present inventionis to provide such a wringer with the usual roll control operating handle connected with the gear driven mechanism for driving the rolls and by incorporating an interlocking mechanism directly connected with this handle to auto- -matically move the same into neutral position vention to provide such a drive interrupting means which also functions to disconnect the transmitted driving torque from the main drive shaft of the wringer thereby permitting the interlock means for returning the operating handle of vthe wringer to neutral position to function freely independently of frictional binding of the torque transmitting, parts. Obviously, to operate the handle when the same is in one of its operating positions or the other depending upon the direction of rotation of the wringer rolls, .it would take considerable effort to swing this I handle into neutral position under the action of the power driving torque. By relieving the driving torque it is possible to introduce a lightinterlock necessary to place the same into neutral or nondriving position thereby increasing the efficiency render the interlock means lnefiective to permit the wringer handle to again be manually actuated for operating the wringer rolls in the usual manner.

All other objects and advantages that are present in the preferred construction of wringer herein disclosed shall hereinafter be pointed out and become apparent from the following detailed description of such wringer having reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is-a side elevational View of the main operating mechanism as arranged in a preferred construction of wringer, some of the parts having been omitted and others being broken away and in section to better illustrate certain details thereof Fig. 2 is an end elevational View of the wringer illustrated in Fig. 1 as viewed from the post end of the wringer;

Fig. 3 is a vertical axial sectional view illustrating the torque release structure embodied in the present form of wringer drive;

Fig. 4 is a transverse cross sectional view thereof taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 3 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan View of the wringer structure and associated mechanism and of the left-hand end of the wringer with reference to Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is another fragmentary plan view of the wringer structure showing the mechanism associated with the post end of the wringer; Figs. 5 and 6 when taken together substantially comprising a complete plan view of the entire wringer structure; and

Fig. '7is an end elevational view of the wringer mechanism as viewed from the left hand end of- Fig. 1.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the main body of the wringer comprises generally the pedestal .l connected with or forming an integral part of the gear case 2 together with a sheet metal frame- I work 3 suitably connected with the gear casing Fig. 1, such structures being connected by' a bottom trough 6 with stability and further strength provided by means of an overhead frame --1 connecting between the divided wringer shrouds 8 and 9. The foregoing elements provide the main body of the wringer and this. unit as a whole is mounted by means of the pedestal .upon the wringer column. Appropriate indexing means It is connected with such pedestal to lock the wringer in certain predetermined angular positions with respect to the wringer column or post.

As further seen in Fig. 1, the drive is transmitted to the wringer rolls by means of the main drive shaft ll connectible through the shiftable clutch [2 toward either one or the other of the driving pinions l3 and M which are rotatably carried upon the drive shaft I I and suitably held against axial displacement with respect thereto. Pinions gear I5 which is suitably connected with the roll shaft l6 by a pin l1 engaging the driving sleeve Hi to transmit the power drive to the lower wringer roll l9.

upper roll 29 in the usual fashion.

An operating control handle for the wringer roll drive is indicated at 2! connected with a stub shaft 22 provided with an eccentric pin arrangement 23 having cooperative engagement with the annular groove 24 formed in the body'of the clutch [2.

The upper end of the drive shaft H is journaled in a suitable bearing in the gear box 2 and is provided with the mechanism best illuss portion of the operating rod 26 is tapered as at 29 for cooperating with the locking balls 39 that are suitably carried or guided in radially drilled openings 3 I. formed in the main drive shaft l I.

The shiftable clutch i2 is. longitudinally grooved at 32 to coact with the respective balls 39 so that under normal operating conditions the power drive from shaft l l is transmitted through the balls 30 which are maintained in locked position within the grooves 32 of the clutch 12 whenever the operating rod 26 is in the lower longitudinal position illustrated in Fig. 3 and as shown in respect to the main drive shaft H that has'no longitudinal movement. Whenever the operating rod 26 is moved vertically in the. direction of the arrow 33, the balls 39 will no longer be held in their radially outward locations with respect to the shaft Ii and therefore will be actuated radially inwardly off of the tapered sides of the slots 32 as best comprehended from Fig. 4. and will move into the drilled openings 3| within. the main drive shaft II. This action discontinues the drive from the shaft H to the clutch ['2 permitting the shaft H to revolve within its bearings in the gear box 2 and discontinuing power torque transmission to any of the other parts hereinbefore described in connection with the roll drive mechanism.

As seen in Fig. 1, this torque relieving operating rod 26 is held in its operative position as shown at Fig. 3 by means of the channel shaped arm 34 which is pivotally carriedupon the pin 35 extending between the ears 36 forming a part of the gear box 2. The arm 34 bears against areduced head portion 37 forming an integral part of the operating rod 2'6, the arm 34 holding the entire operating rod 26 downwardh against the action of the spring 38 interposed between the cup washer 39 and the bearing boss 46 of the gear box 2.

The arm 34' is normally held in its lowermost position as viewed at Fig. 1 by means of pins 4| secured to discs .2, such pins 41 engaging lateral lugs 43 formed as a part of the depending links 44 connected with the arm 34.

The discs 42 are spaced laterally with respect to the vertical median plane of the wringer as best illustrated in Figs. 2 and 6 and are mounted Obviously, the drive from the lower roll will be frictionally transmitted to the H l3 and 14 connected with the crown upon a horizontally disposed shaft 45 suitably connected for rotation on the wringer frame.

' One of the discs is notched at 46 to cooperate with the roller 41 carried on the end of an arm 48 pivoted from the roll frame at 49 and normally urged against the disc 42 by means of a suitable spring at 59. r

The vertical arm 5| carrying suitable hand re-- lease means such as the knob 52 is also secured to the arm 48 to operate above the pivot 49 for the purpose of moving the roller 41 out of en gagement with the notch 46 of the disc 42 carrying such notch. Obviously, the arms 48 and 5| can be considered as a bell crank for all practical purposes providing a release means having trigger precision.

Attention is directed to the fact that both of the-operating mechanisms disposed at the lateral sides of the wringer and extending the length thereof are duplicates and that the same reference numerals have been used to indicated like elements except where otherwise indicated. Continuing this description and referring to Figs. 1 and 2 it wil be seen that links such as 53 are connected by means of pins 54 operating within slots 55 in the discs 42 and extend to connect with pins 56 carried by the bell cranks 51 that are pivotally mounted upon the wringer frame suitably supported from shaft 58. A pair of springs 56 connect between arms 60 of the bell crank 51 and lugs 6| formed upon the bell crank 62, the latter being pivotally guided within the slots 63 of the wringer frame by means of pins 64 in the manner best shown in Fig. 1. One end of the shaft 65 of the upper wringer roll 20 extends into the vertically movable bearing 66 which is pin connected at '6'! with the bell crank 62 and such pins also extend through and are guided within the vertical slots 68. provided in the channel frame member 4.

Thus, as long as the springs 59 are suitably attached by means of the latched discs 42 through the instrumentality of the arms 53 and the connected bell cranks, the roll shaft 65 will press the upper roll 20 firmly against the lower roll l9 establishing an operative condition between such wringer rolls.

The mechanism at the far end of the wringer is. very much the same as that described in connection with the post end of the wringer. 0perative connection is established from the right hand roll tensioning mechanism in Fig. 1 to the left hand roll tensioning mechanism by means of the longitudinal links 10 which are pivotally connected at 1| to the bell cranks 51 and by means of pins '52 to bell cranks "pivotally carried at 14 from the wringer frame. channel portion. 5. Springs 15 are interposed between the pins 16 of the bell cranks I3 and the lugs 11 formed as an integral portion of the bell crank 18. The latter carries the pivot pins 19 for operation within the slots 86 formed in the brackets 8| secured to the channel section 5 of the wringer frame.

The upper roll shaft 65 also projects from the above described end of the roll 26 to enter the movable bearing 82 which is pivotally connected at 83 with another arm portion of the bell crank 18, such pivot pin at 83 also extending through and operating within the vertically disposed slot 84 formed in the sides of the channel frame 5.

Therefore, it is seen that any clockwise rotation of the discs 42 is permitted by means of the latch mechanism consisting of the bell crank arrangements incorporatingarms 48 and '51 allowing the links 53 to rotate the controlling bell Referring back to Fig. 1 it is seen that when-v ever the hand release knob 52 is operated that the discs 42 revolve in a clockwise direction carrying the pins 4| directly therewithand in the same direction. Whenever this happens the arm 34 will be urged upwardly by means of the spring 39 through the knob or head portion 31 of the l operating rod 26 that releases the drive from the main shaft I to the clutch I2 and in automatic synchronism with the release of the wringer rolls as described before. It is also desirable that the operating control handle 2| for regulating the drive mechanism to the rolls should be disposed in neutral position whenever the wringer release mechanism has been operated. Furthermore, this main control handle 2| should also be locked in the neutral position whenever the rolls 9 and 26 have been parted through releasegyin the event of accident inasmuch as this will pre-.

vent anyone from shifting the handle 2| to cause the lower roll |9 to begin to operate until the wringer is completely reset for'operation.

This characteristic of the wringer is accomplished by the mechanism illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. A suitably formed bracket 85 is arranged for connection with the washer 39 and head 3|.

of the operating rod 26 and extends downwardly toward the handle shaft 22. As seen in Fig.2, the lower end of the bracket 85 is slotted at 86 to be vertically guided by means of the flattened. sides 8'! of the boss 88 forming a portion of the gear box 2. A cam 89 is secured to the handle shaft 22 for movement directly therewith and such cam 89 may occupy the position shown in Fig. 2 when the handle is moved as shown in dotted lines for operating the wringer rolls in one direction, the cam 89 being moved into vertical position in Fig. 2-when the clutch I2 is to be moved into neutral position. The cam will occupy a position 180 to that indicated in Fig.2 when the wringer rolls are to be reversed.

In any event the bracket 85 carries cars 90 and 9| for engaging the under sides of the cam 89 respectively depending upon the location of the cam with respect to the longitudinal vertical median plane of the wringer. In either case; the handle will be brought into neutral vertical position by either one of the lugs 90 or 9| engaging the sides of the cam 89 whenever the release knob 52 is operated causing the bracket 85 to rnov'e vertically under its connection with respect to the actuating rod 26 and under the action of the spring 39. Inasmuch as the torque release mechanism illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 operates upon release of the wringer roll, the torque binding or frictional contact is eliminated between the drive shaft H and the clutch I2. Therefore, the bracket 85 and its associated mechanisms adapted to function so as to move the handle 2| into neutral position are of light weight construction and are efficiently operable and economical to manufacture.

In addition to the bracket 85 rotating the handle 2| into neutral position, the bracket is also provided with a latch lug 93 that is adapted to enter the notch 94 formed in the cam 89. This provides an appropriate locking means to -lock the shaft 22 against operation until such a time as the wringer is reset with the rolls l9 and 20 in operative squeezing contact.

There are various ways in which the disc shaft 45 may be rotated to bring the entire mechanism back into normal operating condition after the wringer has been released. The preferable arrangement and construction for resetting the wringer is illustrated in Fig. 2 and incorporates the use of a handle 95 loosely mounted upon the extended end 96 of the shaft 45 by means of the pin and groove connection 91. It is obvious that Y a handle of considerable length will better act to reset the wringer mechanism against the spring tension than a handle relatively short with a lower mechanical advantage. However, it is not desirable to provide a handle of this type which will whip about its axial center whenever the spring release mechanism operates as in this case where the shaft 45 substantially rotates with trigger timing under the action of the springs 59 and 15.

It is for this reason that the handle is connected by means of the pin and groove connection 91 and furthermore carries a lug 98 for engagement with the pin 99 secured to the extension 96 of the shaft 45. A torsion spring Hill is connected at |6| with the shaft 96 and has an extended end |02 operating within a slot I03 formed in the extension lug 98 of the handle 95. This establishes a soft connection between the rotatable shaft 45 and the handle 95 permitting the shaft 45 to execute a quick 180 release while the spring I66 gradually picks up the handle95 to slowly move the same in a direction away from the pin 99 and into some angular position with 'respect to the vertical position previously occupied by the handle. Thereafter, by moving the handle in a direction so that the lug 99 engages the pin 99 it is possible to rotate the shaft 45 in a counterclockwise direction until the discs 42 are moved into a position where the notch 46 will again relatch against the roller 41 of the release bell crank mechanism. This counterclockwise rotation of the discs 42 will also cause the pins 4| to re-engage the lugs 43 to pull the arm 34 downwardly into the position illustrated in Fig. 1.

This action also moves bracket 85 downwardly to disengage the lug 93 from the notch 94 in cam 89 to free handle 2| to again operate the clutch |2. The latter is also operatively connected to the drive shaft II by the return of the discs 42 since the operating rod 26 again forces the balls 30 radially into driving relationship with the grooves 32 of the clutch l2.

Variations and modifications in the exact structure herein shown and described are contemplated as well as the substitution of equivalent mechanisms. The language of the appended claims will govern the extent of such changes and the permissible variations.

WhatIclaim is:

1. In a wringer, frame means including a fixed top bar, separable rolls therein, pressure mechanism for said rolls, drive means to actuate said rolls, clutch means between the rolls and said drive means, a pivoted arm controlling said clutch means, spring means biasing said arm toward released position to disengage said clutch means, lock means controlled by said arm to lock said clutch means in disengaged position when said arm is released, a rotary disk carried by said frame means, link means connecting said disk with said pressure mechanism, latch means engageable with said disk to hold the same against release in pressure applying position, means car- 'ried by said disk to bear against said arm and hold the same in clutch engaging position, and means to disengage said latch means;

2. In a wringer, frame means including a fixed top bar, separable rolls therein, pressure mechanism for said rolls, drive means to actuate said rolls, clutch means between the rolls and said drive means, a pivoted arm controlling said clutch means, spring means biasing said arm toward released position to disengage said clutch means,

lock means controlled by said arm to lock said clutch means in disengaged position when said arm is released, a rotary disk carried by said frame means, link means connecting said disk with said pressure mechanism, latch means engageable with said disk to hold the same against release in pressure applying position, means carried by said disk to bear against said arm and hold the same in clutch engagingposition, means to disengage said latch means, and a handle to rotate said disk to pressure applying position, move said arm to clutch engaging position, and release said lock means.

- 3. In a wringer, a frame, a pair of rolls in said frame, tension springs each connected at one end connect said drive means with said rolls, a pivoted arm to control said clutch means, means biasing said arm toward clutch disengaged position, and pins carried by said disks to bear on said arm and hold the same in clutch engaging position.

4. In a wringer, a frame, a pair of rolls in saidframe, tension springs each connected at one end 8 to one of said rolls and extending beyond the other, link means having portions pivoted to said frame and connected to the other ends of said springs, a transverse shaft in said frame, a pair of spaced rotary disks on said shaft and connected with said link means to actuate the same to pressure applying position with said springs under tension, latch means to hold said disks in pressure applying position, drive means, clutch means to connect said drive means With said rolls, a pivoted armto control said clutch means, means biasing said arm toward clutch disengaged position, pins carried by said disks to bear on said arm and hold the same in clutch engaging position, lock means connected to said arm to lock the clutch means in disengaged position, and a handle connected to said transverse shaft to reset roll pressure by rotating said disks whereby said arm is pivoted to clutch engaging position and said lock means are released.

NICHOLAS L. ETTEN.

' REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,046,440 Chalmers Dec. 10, 1912 1,177,661 Svensson, Apr. 4, 1916 1,677,863 Hume July 17, 1928 2,133,568 Perkins Oct. 18, 1938 2,179,715 Davis Nov. 14, 1939 2,276,575 Haag et al Mar. 17, 1942 2,277,785 Schroeder Mar. 31, 1942 2,281,885 Litle May 5, 1942 2,307,367 Etten Jan. 5, 1943 2,316,281 Patch Apr. 13, 1943 2,330,480 Etten Sept, 28, 1943 2,371,380 Cammack Mar. 13, 1945 2,387,086 Moon Oct. 16, 1945 

